Physician recruitment efforts are underway in Wawa.
Following the departure of two doctors earlier this month, Wawa Municipal Council discussed physician recruitment in their meeting this week - CAO/Treasurer Maury O'Neill noted a conditional reserve fund was set up for medical recruitment in 2010 with $113,645 in the fund, with the Lady Dunn Health Centre requesting use of $22,500 a year to address recruitment and retention costs.
O'Neill noted a future by-law's expected to outline membership of a recruitment committee - the hospital currently leads one with Mayor Ron Rody as a member, but it's been suggested it should expand to include neighbouring communities that also rely on the hospital - and it would also outline terms and conditions for use of the funds.
Mayor Rody noted support for the recruitment efforts - saying professional recruiters may be used - adding the hospital will be getting locum support to help cover service but there may still be some potential issues - and he warned the locum funding will only last about six months.